Indicator for manual reset valves



Inwentor,

I Gttorueg flw w. A. RAY

INDICATOR FOR MANUAL RESET VALVES Flled March 51 1942 Aug. 29, 1944.

Patented Aug 29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDICATOR FOR MANUAL RESET VALVES William A. Ray, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 31, 1942, Serial No. 436,937

(Cl. 1l6125) v 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to fluid control valves, and particularly to those of the manual- I reset type wherein a closure member, biased toward closed position, is moved to its open position by manual means, in which open position it is adapted to be retained by means responsive to a controlling condition, such as, for example, temperature or pressure within a predetermined range, or the existence of flame at a pilot burner.

Manual-reset valves of the type indicated have particular utility as safety valves in the control of fuel supply to a main burner for which a constantly burning pilot burner is provided, means responsive to the flame oi the pilot burner then being provided for controlling the means by which the closure member is retained in its open position. Such retaining means may consist of a latch mechanism operated by a pilotburner-heated thermostatic device, or an electromagnet, energized by a thermoelectric generator heated by the pilot flame; upon extinction of that flame the retaining means becomes ineffective and the valve closes, manual-resetting then bein necessary for subsequent operation of the burner system.

Should the burner system fail to function, it is desirable to immediately ascertain the condition of the safety valve. However, in prior art devices there is no way in which that can readily be done, which makes it necessary for the operator to examine the pilot burner, or other means to which the safety valve is responsive. To obviate the necessity for such procedure, it is an object of my invention to provide. in a valve of the type indicated, means whereby its condition can be readily and positively determined by inspection.

. In manually resetting the valve, it is desirable to be able to readily determine the point at which the retaining means becomes effective to perform its function-i. e., for example, when the means responsive to the pilot burner flame has become sufliciently heatedto avoid premature release of the resetting means. It is therefore another object of this invention to provide simple means for indicating that condition and effective in trial initial movement of the resetting means from its manually-held position.

Another object is to provide indicating means of the character described which is contained entirely within the housing of the valve where it is protected from injury, dirt, etc. a window being provided through which the indicator can be observed.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be found in the description, the drawing and the appended claims; and for complete under standing of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan of a manual reset valve embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

In the drawing, the numeral ll indicates a valve casing having an inlet I2 and an outlet l3, the inner end of the outlet being reduced in diameter to provide an annular valve seat I4. Cooperable with the seat I4 is a closure member l5 secured on one end of a reciprocable valve stem 16; the other end of the stem extending loosely through a central opening in an apertured cup-shaped washer l1 positioned in the inlet I2 and restrained from outward movement therethrough by a wire ring I 8 snapped into a groove formed in the inlet wall. Encircling the stem 16, and compressed between the washer l1 and a nut 19 threaded on an intermediate portion of the stem, is a helical spring 20 constantly urging the closure member toward its seat, and the washer l1 against the snap-ring l8. The closure member I5 is guided at its periphery by a plurality of spaced vanes 2| projecting from the inner surface of the casing wall.

Closing an opening in the upper wall of the casing H is a flexible diaphragm 24, held at its margin between a raised, annular portion 25 of the casing and the flanged lower end of a hous-' ing 26 secured thereto. Pivoted on a pin 21, secured at its ends in openings in bosses (not shown) projecting inwardly from the upper side walls of the casing II, is a U-shaped member 28, the end portions of the arms of which straddle the stem l6 between the closure member [5 and the nut IS. The cross bar of the member 28 is widened to provide a base on which a channelled lever arm 29 is mounted with the adjacent portion of the diaphragm clamped therebe'tween. The arm 29 and member 28 rock as a unit about the pin 21 to operate the closure member l5, and the pin 2'! is positioned as near as is practicable to the plane of the diaphragm to minimize flexure of, the same.

A sub-housing 30 is positioned within the housing 26 and is secured thereto by a pair of screws 3| threaded into a pair of depressed portions 32 of the top wall of the housing. Within the sub-housing 30 is an electromagnet, generally indicated at 35, comprising a U-shaped core 36 and a coil 31 therefor. The core 36 is secured to the underside of the top wall of the housing 26 by a U-shaped metal strap 38 riveted to the housin wall, and the lower ends of the core arms extend through openings in the bottom wall of the sub-housing 30. The coil 31 encircles one leg of the core 36 and is connected by leads 39 to terminals 40 secured in an insulating plate 4| covering an opening in the side wall of the housing 26. Cooperable with the pole faces of the core 36 is a rectangular armature 42, rockably mounted on one end of the arm 29 and restrained from rotation by the side walls thereof. A light coil spring 43 is compressed between the armature and the arm so that the armature, upon clockwise movement of the arm, is resiliently pressed into engagement with the pole faces of the core 36, the rockable mounting permitting accurate alignment of the upper surface of the armature with the pole faces.

Secured in an opening in the top wall of the housing 26 is a sleeve assembly, generally indicated at 44, in which a rod 45 is slidable. The upper end portion of this rod is enlarged to form a push-button 46, and its lower end extends through the bottom wall of the sub-housing 30 so that in its downward movement it can engage the right-hand end of the arm 29 to rock the same. Encircling the rod 45, and urging the same upward, is a helical spring 41 compressed between an enlarged medial portion of the rod and the bottom wall of the sub-housing.

Extending loosely through a transverse slot in the bottom wall of the sub-housing 30 are the arms of a U-shaped indicator wire 48, the lower ends of the arms being outwardly bent and sprung into openings 49 in the sidewalls of the arm 29. The sides of the slot in the sub-housing bottom wall provide a fulcrum about which the indicator arm is adapted to rock, upon movement of the pivoted arm 29, to the position indicated by the broken line 50. Closing an opening through the top wall of the housing 26 adjacent the upper or free end of the indicator wire 48, is a'window preferably of Celluloid or other non-breakable transparent material, through which a pointer 52, secured on the cross-piece of the indicator wire 48, is visible. The window is clamped in position between the top wall of the housing 26 and a cover plate 53, mounted thereon, which carries the legends open and closed by which, and in accordance with the position of the pointer 52, the position of the closure member is shown. With the parts in the positions shown in the drawing, if pressure is applied on the push-button 46 the rod 45 will move downward and contact the arm 29, causing it to turn in a clockwise direction. Such movement of the arm causes the closure member to move to its open position and the pointer 52 likewise to move to its open position shown at 54. In this movement, the armature 42 is brought into engagement with the pole faces of the core 36, in which position it will be magnetically held, against the opposing force of spring 20 acting on the closure member, when the electromagnet is sufficiently energized, which condition can be ascertained by gradually decreasing the pressure on the push-button 46 and watching for any return movement of the pointer. Removal of pressure on the push-button permits the rod 45 to return to its normal, or unactuated,

position under the force of spring 41 Should the electromagnet become deenergized, the armature is released and the closure member returns to its seat, the pointer 52 moving to the position wherein the closed condition of the valve is plainly indicated,

Having herein shown and described, by way of illustration, a specific embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that I intend therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination: a pivoted actuating arm; means for rocking said arm between limiting positions; and means for indicating the position of said arm, comprising a member pivotally connected at one end to said arm and having at its other end an indicating device, and stationary means providing a fulcrum for an intermediate portion of said member and on which the mem ber can slide, said fulcrum and the pivot points of said member and of said arm being substantially in alignment when the arm is between its limiting positions.

2. In combination: an actuating arm pivotally supported intermediate its ends; means engageable with one end of said arm for rocking the arm between limiting positions; and means for indicating the position of said arm, comprising a member pivotally connected at one end to said arm adjacent the pivot thereof and having at its other end an indicating device, and stationary means having an opening therethrough encompassing an intermediate portion of said member and wherein the member can rock in the movement of said arm, said opening and the pivot points of the member and the arm being substantially in alignment when the arm is midway between its limiting positions.

3. In combination: an actuating arm pivotally supported intermediate its ends; said arm having a longitudinal channel, the side walls of which are at right-angles to the pivotal axis of the arm; means engageable with one end of said arm for rocking the arm between limiting positions; and means for indicating the position of said arm, comprising a member one end of which is disposed in said channel and pivotall connected to the opposite side walls thereof, an indicating device 'on the other end of said member, and stationary means having an opening therethrough encompassing an intermediate portion of the member and wherein the same can rock in the movement of said arm, said opening and the pivot points of the member and the arm being substantially in alignment when the arm is midway between its limiting positions.

WILLIAM A. RAY. 

